Stay updated with breaking news from பில்ச்சர் தெரு. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Aldermen still mulling juvenile curfew after second hearing From left, Mark Ballard, Sandra Sistrunk and Lynn Spruill Aldermen plan to wait two to four more weeks before a final vote on a citywide juvenile curfew, following a second public hearing on the matter Tuesday at City Hall. Police Chief Mark Ballard, who fielded aldermen’s questions at the hearing, has asked for an ordinance establishing a juvenile curfew and truancy law to decrease auto burglaries and, in turn, mitigate juvenile crime. If passed, the curfew would apply to ages 17 and under. It would run from midnight to 5 a.m. As mentioned in the first public hearing in May, many variables contribute to juvenile crime, Ballard said, but auto burglaries are often the key component in Starkville. Minors steal firearms out of vehicles and then use those weapons to commit violence, he said. Just this year, 36 firearms have been stolen out of vehicles as of Tuesday, he said. ....
Our View: Local violent crime surge reflects nationwide uptick Thursday morning, Columbus officials scheduled a press conference to discuss the recent crime and shooting incidents in the city. Representatives of the Columbus Police Department, the mayor’s office, the Police Oversight Committee and the Citizen Task Force on Crime to discuss the issue and, presumably, what steps are being taken in an effort to address the problem. Both Columbus and Starkville have implemented new policies. Columbus has plans to share crime information with residents; Starkville is considering a juvenile curfew. In both cities, residents are on edge and looking for answers. ....
SPD chief: Auto burglaries ‘at heart’ of city’s juvenile crime problem Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard answers questions about the proposed juvenile curfew he and city officials hope will curtail juvenile crime at a community meeting held at Starkville High School Monday night. Ballard said juveniles are often out between midnight and 4 a.m. stealing guns in auto burglaries. Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard said juveniles are the ones behind the majority of the auto burglaries in Starkville and drew a direct link between the guns they’ve stolen from cars and the increase in violent crime that has occurred over the past months. ....
Starkville, Oktibbeha considering juvenile curfews Lynn Spruill Authorities in Starkville and Oktibbeha County are weighing whether to implement a juvenile curfew in an attempt to decrease crime among teenagers and pre-teens. Oktibbeha County supervisors announced Monday they would host a public hearing to address the potential of a juvenile curfew in June. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said after she heard the county was considering a curfew, she wanted to establish one as well. “We are at a crossroads in my opinion,” Spruill said in the city board of aldermen’s work session April 30. “We have had activity north, south and in the middle of our city, and I think this is a time to recognize, to some extent, that we want parents to do it, but parents don’t seem to be parenting like they need to be.” ....
One of Starkville shooting victims nephew of alderman cdispatch.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cdispatch.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.